Winners Announced for the 2024 WCIB Essay Competition.
The Brokerage is delighted to announce the winners of the 2024 Worshipful Company of International Bankers (WCIB) Essay Competition, a long-standing initiative designed to inspire young minds and amplify voices on critical societal issues.
This year’s thought-provoking title,
“Compare the benefits and costs of social media for individuals and society. What actions can be taken to achieve an improved balance? Who should take action?”
challenged London-based Year 12 and 13 students to craft compelling 1,000-word letters to the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.
The competition saw 164 entries from 68 schools.
Check out all of the photos here
And the winners are:
🥇 First Prize: Rida Ali – Chadwell Heath Academy
🥈 Second Prize: Masroor Amjad – Ashcroft Technology Academy
🥉 Third Prize: Maimuna Bashar – London Academy of Excellence (Stratford)
Fourth Prize: Vinishan Kamalraj – Logic Studio School
These exceptional essays showcased remarkable insight, critical thinking, and the students’ drive for addressing one of society’s most complex challenges.
A Night to Remember at ING
The celebration event, held on December 2nd at ING Bank in London, brought together finalists, their families, and prominent banking professionals for an evening of inspiration and networking. LBC presenter Ali Miraj, Managing Director—Global Lead, hosted the event, which highlighted the importance of fostering talent from underrepresented backgrounds while providing students with the unique chance to connect with industry leaders.
Ali said:
“We believe in fraternity coming together, promoting our profession, and most importantly, most importantly, doing charitable and educational works. Encourage the next generation of young people to come into city careers. That’s what we’re here for. And to the point of your essay.
“We are living in such a polarized world at the moment and the very fact that you have taken the trouble to write an essay about the costs and benefits of social media and what interventions need to take place to make this a more holistic and balanced environment and who needs to intervene where to me is a vital and be fascinating.”
The winners were announced by WCIB Master Nick Garnish who urged the young people to continue to make the most of experiences and opportunities at this competition:
“Take every opportunity that you get. There’s no such thing as a bad opportunity. Everything is a learning experience. And from what I remember when I was at school, my head always used to say those who do the most achieve the most. I know it means that you’ll be very, very busy, and there’s never enough time in the day to do what you are wanting to do and what you’re asked to do. But dive in. There’s no such thing as a bad experience.
“We have 730 members in the international banker’s livery company, and I’m sure if you are here, perhaps some of those would be able to help you. We’ve been associated with this competition since 2008, and I’m very pleased that we have been.”
Huge congratulations to all the runners up:
First round runners up (in no particular order)
- Liam Kitaka Quadros (Kee-tah-kah) (Kwah-drohs) – London Academy of Excellence Stratford
- Tanzil Ali – London Academy of Excellence Stratford
- Oyin Isaacs (Oh-yeen) – London Academy of Excellence Stratford
- Anika Mahansaria (Mah-hahn-sah-ree-ah) – King’s College London Maths School
- Unable to attend this evening- Niruja Suthan (Nee-roo-jah) (Soo-than) – Ellen Wilkinson school for girls
- Alice Finegan – Kingsdale Foundation School
- Muskaan Verma (Moos-kahn) (Vur-mah) – Brentford School for Girls
- Zoey Tao (rhymes with “how”) – Woodford County High School For Girls
- Lenin Moreno – La Retraite Roman Catholic School
- Praise Joseph – Christ the King Sixth Form College St Mary’s
- Khadija Khalfaoui (Khah-dee-jah) (Khal-fah-oo-ee) – Leyton Sixth Form College
- Alisha Zaheer – Barking Abbey School (sixthform)
- Marissa Ioannou (Ee-oh-ah-noo) – Langley park school for boys
- Promity Tasrifa (Proh-mee-tee) (Tas-ree-fah) – Stepney All Saints Sixth Form
First round winners
- Muhtasim Chowdhury (Moo-ta-sim) – Brampton Manor Academy
- Harish Naguleswaran (Hah-rish) (Nah-goo-lay-swah-rah-n) – Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre
- Vinishan Kamalraj (Vee-nee-shahn) (Kah-mal-rahj) – Logic Studio School
- Natasha Lanczares (Lan-zah-res) – Harris Westminster Sixth Form
- Not able to attend tonight: Perdita Wontumi (Per-dee-tah) (Wonn-too-mee) – Oak Wood School
A Legacy of Impactful Collaboration
Now in its 17th year, the WCIB Essay Competition reflects the enduring partnership between the Worshipful Company of International Bankers and The Brokerage. Rooted in a shared commitment to societal progress and creating opportunities for young people, this collaboration has empowered hundreds of students to explore pressing global topics while gaining invaluable skills for their academic and professional journeys.
Events like this exemplify how WCIB and The Brokerage work together to open doors and nurture the next generation of diverse talent.
Looking Ahead
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all participants and winners. Your ideas and determination are a testament to the power of young voices to shape a better future.
Follow us to stay updated on upcoming opportunities to engage with professionals, build your skills, and make your mark on the world!
Photos can be viewed here: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBTQ5a
Industry Partnership Opportunities
At The Brokerage, we partner with leading companies like Meta to offer young people exclusive access to programmes. We work closely with industry leaders to ensure our candidates gain relevant skills and job opportunities that align with market needs. This is a fantastic way for employers to engage with diverse early-career talent, shaping the future workforce while building a pipeline of skilled professionals.
Join us in supporting the next generation of tech leaders and opening the door to future talent—get involved with The Brokerage today!
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